The Balance ( Part 21 of the series)
by Justright
Summary: A dig reveals artifacts that could spell disaster not only for the Halliwells but for the whole city.


The Balance ****

The Balance

A team of excavators is working on the lot behind the Halliwell's manor. They have already dug a few feet down when one of the workers notices something and calls the supervisor:

"Hey look at this!"

The supervisor:

"Stop the work. I have a feeling that we are going to be delayed…" 

Piper:

"Hey good morning" she told Phoebe and Cole as they entered the dining room. "So today is the big day?"

Phoebe:

"Big day?"

Cole:

"Yes they are starting to excavate for the house…"

Phoebe:

"Oh, ok I forgot…"

Piper:

"I'm guessing that is not the big day you were thinking about?"

Phoebe smiled:

"Not really, but it's still good…"

Cole:

"Don't be so impatient, it's coming soon."

Phoebe:

"You cannot blame me for wanting it to be done with, I still can't believe that it will happen."

Cole takes her in his arms and smiles tenderly:

"Nothing is going to stop us now."

Piper coughed a little:

"Hey you two, are you about done or do I put the breakfast away?"

Phoebe turns to her with a little twinkle in her eyes:

"Alright."

After they took their seats, Piper asks:

"I still wonder how you managed to acquire this lot? I mean, the man who owned it never agreed to sell to anybody."

Cole:

"He died last month, without an heir…"

Piper eyed him curiously:

Cole:

"If you are thinking what I think you are thinking then stop right there. He died of a heart attack and I only know that because Paul told me."

Piper turns red:

"I was not going to say this…"

Cole stares at her with a somewhat incredulous expression:

"No?"

Piper shrugs:

"No," she affirms, "I was just wondering how you happened to be that lucky that's all?"

Cole:

"If you must know, Paul told me when I went to him about my little problem."

Phoebe frowns:

"You didn't tell me that you had talked to him about us?"

Cole:

"Like you often mention, relationships' problems are not my forth," he says with a little smirk. "At any rate, Paul suggested this solution and it made sense."

Piper:

"Still doesn't explain how he came by this information and why?"

Cole:

"I assumed that he had had a similar idea for himself, but changed his mind…"

Piper:

"You think that he was…"

Cole:

"I guess but he obviously changed his plans…"

Phoebe:

"You could have told me."

Cole smiled at her then:

"And ruin your first impression that I had thought of it on my own?"

Phoebe:

"That's quiet alright with me, either way," she smiled back.

Piper looked up at the ceiling, exasperated. Leo had been gone for 2 days and she wasn't in the mood for witnessing displays of affection.

As they were finally starting to eat, a knock on the back door startled them as just about no one ever entered the house from there.

Piper, puzzled still said:

"It's ok, I'll get it." 

From the kitchen, they hear a little scream then Piper' severe voice:

"Hey you get out of there!"

Phoebe frowns:

"You think…"

Cole almost laughs:

"That little guy is very curious, but even so, I'm sure she likes him."

Phoebe:

"I wouldn't be so sure, she was never much of a dog lover and he messes up her kitchen all the time…"

The puppy is coming to them with his tail between his legs.

Cole:

"I think she scares him more than me," he says with a teasing smile.

At the door, Piper regained her composure then opened the door to Daryl:

"Hey Daryl, since when do you come in through the back door?"

Daryl:

"I just came from the construction site behind your house. If I understand well, Cole owns it now does he?" He says that with an official look to him that surprises Piper:

"Hum yes why?"

Daryl:

"I don't think it has much to do with him or Phoebe but there is a little problem."

Piper:

"Why would that concern the police?"

Daryl:

"Is he here? Because I'd prefer to say this once."

Piper is a little put off but answers:

"Yeah, him and Phoebe are in the dining room. Come with me."

Piper spots the dog when they enter the dining room:

"Hey Phoebe, you will have to keep an eye on this little guy, which by the way is already bigger, what kind of dog is that anyway," she asks turning to Cole.

Cole:

"Big enough for protection." 

Phoebe:

"Come on Piper, it's just a puppy. Hey Daryl where did you come from?"

Piper:

"As long as it's just temporary."

Daryl:

"I came from your new property and I'm afraid that there is a problem…"

Cole:

"A problem?"

Daryl:

"They found bones in the excavation and at first they thought it was recent… So they called the police on it."

Phoebe:

"Bones?" She says with horror.

Daryl:

"Don't worry too much, the forensic team has already established that those are very old, but they are still very strange."

Cole:  
"How so?"

Daryl:

"It's like two skeletons but they were stuck in an embrace and buried like that, along with weird objects…"

Piper:

"That is strange, but what does it have to do with us."

Daryl:

"Probably nothing except that it will stop the work for a while."

Phoebe grimaces:

"Oh no, not again."

Daryl:

"Again?"

Phoebe:

"Well, they were supposed to start last week, but the contractor put a delay."

Daryl:

"I'm afraid it can't be helped. They are sending a team of anthropologist and archeologist to survey the site."

Cole:

"Just what we needed," he ads, dejected.

Phoebe:

"Still, I would like to know what it's about too."

Cole:

"I guess…"

Then he ads for Daryl:

"Do you think that they would mind if I went to look at it?"

Daryl:

"I guess not but stay out of the dig."

Cole:

"Promise."

Phoebe:

"I'm going with you."

Piper:

"Me too, let's go."

The dog followed them happily.

Phoebe:

"Hey look at that, isn't he adorable?"

Piper grimaces:

"Yes until he is bigger than you!"

Phoebe smiles indulgently:

"Oh come on Piper, admit it he is cute."

Piper shrugs.

At the site the team of archeologist were already at work and the group got their first look at the bones.

Phoebe:

"That's really strange, what are those?" She says indicating objects that the archeologists were dusting off.

As they were observing them, they saw a series of stones being uncovered, but what was intriguing about them was their position in relation to the bones. 

Piper whispered:

"Hey that looks like…"

Phoebe:

"A pentagram…"

Daryl:

"Well that's weird, just as much as the position of the bodies or rather bones…"

Cole:

"They do look in some kind of embrace or like they were fighting in close combat. I wonder why someone would bury them in this fashion?"

Phoebe:

"And with this around them? Do you think that we should look into it?" she asks her sister.

Piper:

"It's worth checking the book for sure…"

As they were discussing the matter, some of the scientists were collecting the objects and the puppy suddenly growled without any apparent reason.

Phoebe:

"Hey what's wrong?" she asks the dog bending to pet him, but the puppy steps away from her and growls again.

Phoebe frowns:

"What's gotten into him?"

Cole:

"I don't know but he has better change attitude…"

Phoebe:

"I'm sure it's nothing, maybe all these people around, we should go back, I think we saw enough anyway. It's creepy enough that it had to be under our future home."

Cole:

"They will take it off now, so you won't have to think about it anymore." He says as they are walking back toward the manor.

Daryl takes his leave of them and once inside the puppy seems to calm down considerably even coming to Phoebe joyously again.

Phoebe:

"Well that's that, he doesn't like too many people around I guess…"

Then the girls go to the attic hoping that there is something about burying rituals but without too much expectation.

At the excavation, the team is working slowly and carefully under the eyes of the impatient workers.

One of them comments:

"I say we will be mighty late on that one. I was counting on this job this week."

Another:

"Scientists, pfff! There are going to dwell on this for the rest of the day and maybe more…"

Their conversation is interrupted by a tremor. Nothing major, just the usual minor earthquake that any people living in the area expects. After it is over, the workers just shrug it off and go away from the dig. None of them saw the crack in the ground that has opened, close to the set of bones and they noticed even less the black smoke that seems to now seep out of it…

One of the scientists to the next one whom almost dropped a stone:

"Hey you idiot, pay attention," he says rudely startling his assistant.

At first the assistant tries to apologize:

"I'm sorry…" Then his expression changes suddenly.

"You prick, leave me alone. I didn't do anything to your precious junk."

The first scientist turns red with anger, and jumps at the assistant. Only another one, just coming back from an errand at that moment, stops them from tearing each other apart as he convinces them to take a break.

The black smoke seems to dissipate…

A little later, in the manor the girls come back downstairs with dejected expressions.

Cole:

"Hey! Couldn't find anything?"

Phoebe:

"Oh we found plenty, but none that looked like the one we just saw."

Prue is just returning from work and Paul is with her.

Prue:

"What are you talking about?"

Piper:

"They found bones buried in a bizarre ritual right where they were digging the foundation for Phoebe and Cole's house…"

Prue:

"Leave it to us to have skeletons in the closet or underground for that matter… Did they say how long they have been there?"

Phoebe:

"Not yet and they are taking their time removing it…" she ads. "I looked from the upstairs window and they had not even moved the bones yet."

Piper:

"I guess you're going to have to be patient. It must take time to survey this stuff."

Prue:

"What's so special about them?"

Phoebe fills her in on the latest.

Prue:

"And you didn't find anything in the book."

Piper:

"Not a thing…"

Prue:

"Maybe we should keep an eye on this just in case."

Phoebe:

"Agreed and maybe it will make them work faster…" she ads with a little wicked smile.

Cole:

"I will go and watch them for a while."

When he arrived there, he could see that they were now in the process of removing the bones with great care. All the stones had been taken away and their spots marked with little flags. He also noticed a little crack in the ground, but he just assumed it was caused by the digging and didn't worry about it anymore."

Later that night, all the content of the weird grave had been removed and the team of scientist departed, but only after making sure that no one would disturb the site.

They still assured Cole that they didn't see any reasons why the workers should be held up more than a few days. 

During the few hours they had been there, a few minor earthquakes had been felt but nobody cared too much about those except to make sure that they would not disturb the artifacts.

After they had gone, Cole went back at the manor to give them the latest, which wasn't all that much as he said.

"Nothing happened short of those earthquakes."

Phoebe:

"What earthquakes?"

Cole:

"Didn't you feel them? There were quiet a few. But I must admit they were really weak."

He had just barely finished the sentence when another earthquake was felt and this time they all felt it.

Paul:

"Well that wasn't much but still, you say there were many today?"

Cole:

"At least 5 or 6 that I know of but never that strong even though it wasn't that bad."

Paul:

"That's weird. However, we should not be surprised by that anymore." 

They dropped to subject to get dinner.

In the dig, the crack had considerably enlarged now and the smoke was coming out again. Much more than before and the breeze was pushing it toward the nearest neighbor.

Sheryl was a sweet lady in her fifties who usually kept to herself and took care of her husband Harry, to whom she had been married for 25 years. They hardly ever fought, both of them being very calm and reasonable people. At least they had been until that night…

Harry was preparing for his nightly TV break, when he suddenly felt a wave of undirected anger like he had never felt before. He got up and somehow found something to argue about with his wife. At first she didn't respond, wondering what got into him, but after a few minutes the rage started inside her too. She picked up one of her butcher's knife and lunged at him. They fought for only a short while and the end result was horrible.

That night, Phoebe and Cole went to bed early a bit disappointed about the latest turn of events.

Cole:

"Well that wasn't a very good beginning."

Phoebe:

"I know, but I'm sure it will be ok soon."

Cole:

"Are you sure it doesn't bother you what they found?"

Phoebe:

"It won't matter that much now that they removed the bones. I'll try just to forget about it. All I want is for us to get married and start our life together. The rest, well, we have enough trouble coming our way all the time without worrying about it non-stop…"

Cole smiled:

"I can't wait for that either. Speaking of, is everything ok about the wedding?"

Phoebe:

"Yes" she smiled too, "Piper got some experience from her own and it doesn't seem as hectic now as it did for hers."

Cole:

"Good." Then he took her in his arms, just happy that they were together and well.

But another earthquake, even stronger than the last one shattered the moment.

Phoebe:

"Hey! I don't mind the occasional one but this is becoming a little too much. Even here we don't usually have that many…"

Cole frowns:

"Do you think…"

Phoebe:

"It couldn't…"

Cole:

"Do you want to check the site again?"

Phoebe:

"Can we? I would sleep easier knowing that nothing is the matter."

Cole:

"Right, let's go then."

They got out of the house without the sisters realizing it and went straight to the pit. There the spectacle appalled them. In the hole was now a large crevice from which an ever thicker black smoke was escaping. Phoebe took a step back at seeing this with a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Phoebe:

"Oh my god, what is that?"

Cole:

"I don't have a clue, but it doesn't look good at all. Could it have to do with the ritual?"

Phoebe:

"If yes, we will have to figure out what to do about it, and there was nothing in the book. Maybe we should ask Paul about this development?"

Cole:

"Yes I guess."

Phoebe:

"But first, we should try to get a better look."

Cole became even more worried at her idea:

"You can't go there."

Phoebe:

"I might be able to get a premonition…  
Cole:

"Ok but just for an instant then we go call Paul."

They both cautiously headed down the pit using the ladder left by the construction workers. Cole insisted on going first and watched her all the way ready to shimmer if she lost her balance. It didn't take them long to get there and as soon as Phoebe entered in contact with the smoke, a horrible vision came to her:

'In the vision, Cole and her were facing her sisters whom looked to be very angry. They then attacked Cole with, of all thing, fireballs and then turned to Phoebe with the same anger."

Phoebe was shaking now, and she looked at Cole unable to tell him anything, so shocked as she was…

He had to insist, seeing her distraught expression:

"Phoebe, what is it?" He asked anxiously.

Phoebe took a deep breath then finally managed to say:

"I think this thing," she said pointing at the crevice, "is turning people evil…"

Cole:

"What?"

Phoebe:

"I just saw Piper and Prue using warlock powers against us…"

Her voice cracked at that point.

Cole:

"What are we supposed to do, and…" he hesitated a little, "are we becoming evil too?"

Phoebe:

"I don't think so. I don't know why though, but we're right beside it and I feel just the same, what about you?"

Cole:

"No better nor worse than usual. So is it only your sisters?"

A loud siren was heard coming closer then another and another and she wondered about this as she went back to the ladder. Out of the pit, they started to see the flashing lights coming steadily toward their neighborhood. 

Phoebe began to think that things might have been even worse than she thought.

They also heard loud screams coming from many houses around. 

Phoebe:

"Oh I'm afraid the question about other people being affected has just been answered. We've got to stop this. I think we should go directly to the attic and avoid my sisters."

Cole:

"But you said that there was nothing in the book?"

Phoebe:

"It still worth looking again."

Cole:

"From what you said it doesn't sound very safe to return to that house…"

Phoebe:

"It worries me too, but we have to do something. And before asking Paul I would like to know what we are talking about. Not to mention the fact that we don't even know if he will be affected also," she added indicating the police and ambulance cars. 

Cole:

"I'll shimmer us in but be ready to go immediately. If anything happens I'll get you out of there right away…"

Phoebe acquiesces warily and he takes her in his arms, holding on tight, with a severe expression on his face.

They reappeared in the attic, which was thankfully empty. But Cole noticed something about the floor that Phoebe didn't seem to:

"I have something to check, don't move I will be back in a second, he told her when she was already opening the book.

He added:

"Hide if they come here…"

His tone of voice sent a shiver down her spine and she tried to concentrate on the book. Cole shimmered directly to their bedroom, which happened to be directly under the attic, and what he had felt was explained right away. Their bed was on fire and he didn't hesitate to magically put it outside. He had felt the heat through the floorboards but Phoebe was so worried about her sisters that she probably had not. 

He knew right away that this fire had not been accidental. Piper and Prue were after them…

He shimmered back in the attic and Phoebe was still alone there but her expression was not encouraging.

Cole:

"Found anything?"

Phoebe:

"Nothing at all. Look at it, it's all changed…"

Cole noticed that the spell were definitely not from the side of good anymore. Then they heard a commotion coming from downstairs and steps running up to them. Cole didn't hesitate anymore and picked Phoebe's arm to shimmer her out of the house right away.

Piper and Prue burst in the attic just in time to see them go.

Prue:

"The little brat is slippery but I know where they went…"

In fact they were mistaken as they had shimmered directly to Paul's. 

He was still up and obviously knew something was happening because he didn't seem surprise to see them at all.

Cole:

"Do you feel like attacking us?" He asked putting himself between Phoebe and Paul and standing ready to attack himself.

Paul:

"I'm fine, don't worry. Since the last time evil took a hold of me, I took precautions about this. That was a good thing too, I started to feel it a few minutes ago. I suppose that this is why you're here…"

Phoebe:

"Yes something terrible has happened. Piper and Prue and for that matter, the neighborhood have gone crazy and possibly Evil. I saw Prue in my vision, she was trying to kill Cole and me with warlock powers…"

Paul:

"Do you know what caused it?"

Phoebe:

"We were hoping that you could help us with that. It started at the excavation. A large crevice has opened there and is spewing some kind of black smoke. And I think it spreads evil…"

Cole:

"Do you think that removing those bones caused the whole thing?"

Paul:

"I'd say that it's a fair assumption. But I know where we could find them again, and I suggest we give a try to put them back before it is too late…"

Phoebe:

"I agree, let's do it now."

When they were about to leave though, a loud bang on the door and then many more on windows tell them that they should not try the usual means of transportation. They move swiftly and magically to the location Paul indicated.

They never expected the devastation that they found there.

Inside what they supposed was the laboratory everything was upside down. Some pieces of equipment were still smoking. 

Cole:

"This place is too far from the excavation to have been affected that fast isn't it?"

Paul's face is filled with dread. Now the others finally notice it and Phoebe questions:

"Paul what is it?"

Paul:

"I'm afraid that we have another problem or is it the same…?"

Cole:

"What happened before wasn't enough?"

Paul:

"I can feel one entity, a very powerful evil one. The smoke that you saw and the evil being spread is only an extension of him, entering all that it touches. But here, I have a feeling that he was even stronger…"

They come to a pile of debris and behind it what they see provokes a horrified scream from Phoebe.

Cole takes her in his arms, hiding her face on his chest, as he also saw the bodies piled up in a corner. It is a terrible mess of bodies, bloodied and some even dismembered. He has seen many horrors in his life but this makes even him gag.

Cole:

"What could have done this?" He asked as he was pulling Phoebe away.

Paul who seems transfigured and just as horrified:

"I feel that there has been a battle here, and those poor people got in the way. Those bones must have belonged to very strong and powerful beings who started their fight right back upon being awaken."

Phoebe:

"Awaken?"

Paul:

"It is possible that the symbols and artifacts that we saw at the site were meant to imprison those beings. Now they have been freed…"

Cole:

"What we have to do is imprison them again, don't we?"

Paul:

"Easier said then done."

As he was saying it again they heard loud screams and footsteps coming their way. 

Cole:

"Let's try the mausoleum, maybe there we can talk in peace…"

Paul:

"Right!"

They went away from there carrying what they could find intending to return for the rest…

In the mausoleum though they are in for a bad surprise. 

Cole:

"Oh oh!"

He said this when he realized that they were not alone…

Prue:  
"So you finally came back. We were getting impatient."

Piper didn't hesitate to throw a fireball in their direction, which barely missed. Cole pushed Phoebe toward the steps and she ran out, only turning to see if he was following. But then she heard many more small explosions and feared the worse. She screamed:  
"Cole! Paul!" She was about to go back in when they came rushing out and Paul suggested to them to go back to the excavation, fast.

They didn't wait for more and Cole grabbed her shimmering almost at the same time.

Hardly enough this was the quietest place that they had been in the last hour. Phoebe noticed the smoking remains of her bed not far from there and turned questioningly to Cole:

"What happened?"

Cole:

"I didn't want to tell you, but I'm afraid they tried to kill us in our sleep, and maybe when they realized that we weren't there they got a little miffed."

Phoebe:

"A little?"

Cole lifted an eyebrow but didn't answer that. Paul joined them shortly and they decided to put back what they had in the pit.

The crevice had thankfully not enlarged, but putting the few bones they had didn't seem to have any effect.

As a matter of fact, it attracted a nasty ghost to them…

A gigantic and dark ghostly man appeared in front of them. He seemed to be just watching them in what appeared to be puzzlement.

Then he began:

"What makes you special?"

Cole:

"Who cares about that? We will put you back where you belong and that's going to be the end of it…"

The ghost:

"Hem! I think that you're way over your head little one."

Cole reacted angrily trying to throw an energy ball in his direction but it simply went right through him. Worried now, he cast a questioning look in Paul's direction:

"How are we supposed to defeat a ghost?"

Someone else answered for Paul…

Another ghost, this one shining of a bright white light said:

"You cannot but I can."

The dark ghost immediately directed his attention to the newcomer:

"I thought I sent you away!"

The white ghost answered:

"Goes to say, you don't know much…"

Phoebe, Cole and Paul stepped quietly away from the middle of those two, remembering the bodies in the lab. 

The white ghost looked at them:

"You have to find the rest of our bones and the talismans, and put it somewhere else. It will imprison him again, but beware he will do anything to stop you."

This he said just before engaging in a violent battle with the other ghost.

When they heard the clamors coming from outside the pit, they understood what he meant. Obviously, a crowd was coming toward them again and they finally realized that the reason why they were found all the time was probably because the dark ghost that they had just seen was pursuing them through those people.

They magically returned to the lab, which was once again empty and redoubled their effort at finding the bones and artifacts. They searched as fast as they could, knowing that they could be interrupted at any moment. And so they were. Piper and Prue found them but fortunately, they had already found most of the bones. Or so they hoped given the state of the lab. Again a fight ensued and both Paul and Cole tried their best not to hurt the girls. It didn't help that they were hell bent on hurting them. Phoebe grabbed the bag they had been using to collect the bones and stones. But she almost let go as they were fleeing when Prue caught it, trying to take it away from her. Phoebe grimaced and kicked her sister as hard as she could even as she was apologizing and Cole shimmered her away when the bag was free of Prue's grasp.

Paul had simply followed his shimmer, but was as puzzled as Phoebe when he looked around. 

They were apparently in the middle of a mountain range, but nothing like they ever seen. The rocks were of a violet taint and the snow was almost pink on it. There was no vegetation at all where they were.

Cole:

"Do you think it would work if we put those in another dimension?"

Paul:

"I hope so, but doesn't it mean giving the problem to them?"

Cole:

"There is no one here. If those two want to continue their battle, they won't bother anybody here…"

Phoebe:  
"Well I hope it will work, let's try it now."

The moment they started to put the bones in place on the ground the ghostly apparitions came to them.

The dark ghost tried to attack them but the white one tackled him in a weird and ethereal battle. The others didn't lose any time watching though, as they knew that time was of the essence. Still they couldn't help noticing that the white ghost was losing. At some point, the dark one escaped his grasp and came straight at them. Paul barely managed to hold him away magically before the white one came back to fight again. He attracted his attention by screaming:

"Beleral!"

The dark one jumped back at the other, forgetting about Paul, Phoebe and Cole in his rage. The moment Phoebe put the last artifact in place forming the pentagram again, he realized his mistake and came back to them in force. But now the white one was ready and chanted:

"Beleral, I bind you for all time,

Your will submits to mine,

Never to be seen again,

Never to be heard by man"

Beleral started screaming crazily, fighting to stay away from the new-formed grave. But he was inexorably pulled toward it, and then the ground started to shake violently and the rocks separated. A deep pit opened from which the same black smoke as before seemed to come out, which made Phoebe and Cole as well as Paul very uncomfortable but eventually the dark entity reentered the ground through it and the rocks came back together sealing him inside.

They all sighed in relief at that and the white ghost who was still there started:

"Thank you, and I think you may just have found the perfect place for him. I was as much a prisoner as he was until now…"

Phoebe:

"You mean you were stuck with him for all these years?"

The ghost:

"My name is Michael and for hundreds of years now, I have been engaged in battle with Beleral, to keep him contained. Because of the danger he represented for the world, it was my duty to prevent him from escaping. Now though, he will be contained forever in this place and I finally can rest."

Phoebe smiled at him as he was slowly disappearing.

Cole:

"Hum! Well I hope that everything is back to normal in our world and I suggest that we go back there and leave that one" he indicated the ground, " alone where he is."

Paul:

"I second that."

They shimmered and blinked out. At least, when they arrived, things had seemed to calm down, although there still were abandoned police cars on the street and the still smoking bed on the lawn.

Phoebe eyed it:

"Hum! I wonder if we couldn't do something about that?"

Cole:

"I thought that you didn't want me to use my powers for personal gain?"

Phoebe:

"Well technically, it has been destroyed by evil?"

He chuckled but did it.

The bed disappeared and presumably went back intact inside the house.

Phoebe:

"Thank you," she said kissing him happily. "And now we still can build this house…"

Cole:

"I shiver at the thought of how much more they are going to charge to come back near the excavation." But he was saying it with a little smile.

Inside they found two very contrite and relived witch. Prue and Piper jumped on their sister, whom at first wondered if they really were ok.

Prue:

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me?"

Phoebe:

"That's ok. As long as you are fine now. The evil is definitely gone…"

Piper:

"Still, I'm sorry too. It's a miracle none of us got hurt. Unfortunately, one cannot say the same from many people. There have been reports of riots and violence that have been exploding all over town. But it seems to have calmed down at the same time as we have returned to our senses."

Phoebe:

"It was pretty terrible." She answers with a sad expression thinking of the dead people at the lab.

She leaned on Cole who also understood what she was thinking about.

Cole:

"At least it won't happen again…"

Prue:

"What happened exactly?"

Phoebe tried her best to explain it to her. At least as far as she knew.

Piper:

"Wow!"

Phoebe:

"There are some memories that I'd prefer I didn't have. But for now, all I want is to sleep."

She was about to go upstairs when Prue stopped her guiltily:

"I'm afraid that you might want to go in the guest room…"

Phoebe innocently:

"Why?"

Prue hesitated:

"Well I think your bed is just about burned. I saw the leftover on the lawn" she said looking at Cole and guessing that he had saved the house by doing it. "By the way, thank you for that."

Cole just smiled a little.

Phoebe:

"I don't know. I got a feeling that our room is just fine."

Piper and Prue looked at her a little sad.

Phoebe:

"Come on stop the long faces and come with me."

They found that not only was the bed fine but Cole had added a little make over to the room.

Phoebe was surprised too:

"Where is my wallpaper?"

Cole:

"I just thought that since you were going for it, I could make this place a little less girly. But don't worry, if you want I'll change it back when we moved…"

Piper and Prue preferred not to ask and return to see Paul downstairs.

Phoebe:

"Are those satin sheets?" she asked with a little smile.

Cole:

"You like?" He asked in a falsely casual tone of voice.

Phoebe:

"Yeah!"

Cole closed the door…


End file.
